Department for Education

Students: Loans

Bambos Charalambous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) cap or (b) reduce the interest rate applied to student loans.

Joseph Johnson: We have a world class student finance system, which has enabled record numbers of people to benefit from a university education. Latest UCAS data for 2017 shows more disadvantaged young people have been accepted to university than for the whole of the 2016 application cycle.The student funding system removes financial barriers for anyone hoping to study, and is backed by the taxpayer. The interest rate on student loans remains significantly below the relevant Bank of England reference rate for unsecured personal lending. In addition, the repayment terms of student loans are significantly more favourable for the borrowers than commercial loans. Monthly repayments are linked to income and not to the amount borrowed or the interest rate. Borrowers earning less than the repayment threshold of £21,000 repay nothing at all. Loans are written off after 30 years with no detriment to the borrower, and student loans are available to all eligible students regardless of their previous financial history. As with all Government policy, we continue to keep the detailed features of the system under review to ensure it remains fair and effective.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Redundancy Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney General, how much has been paid to (a) men and (b) women who left the Law Officers' Departments under exit schemes since 31 March 2016.

Jeremy Wright: The information requested is containing in the following tables, broken down into the different Law Officers' Departments.SFOIndividuals leaving the SFO under exit schemes since 31 March 2016GenderNumberTotal paymentWomen6£281kMen10£324k Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the Government Legal Department (GLD) and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI)Individuals leaving the AGO, GLD and HMCPSI under exit schemes since 31 March 2016GenderNumberTotal paymentWomenFewer than 5£172,148MenFewer than 5£317,933Since 31 March 2016, there have been 5 or fewer men and 5 or fewer women who have left the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the Government Legal Department (GLD) and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) under an early exit scheme.CPSIndividuals leaving the CPS under exit schemes since 31 March 2016GenderNumberTotal paymentWomen18£1,024,651Men6£500,040

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the UK allocation from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund has been (a) allocated and (b) spent.

George Eustice: The Marine Management Organisation is the UK managing authority for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and has a UK position to the 30 June 2017, as follows: a) EMFF funds allocated - £57.5 million (27.3% of the budget)b) EMFF funds spent - £15.5 million (7.3% of the budget) This information is collected quarterly from the four UK Intermediate Bodies. The next return is due on 30 September 2017.